Food Allergies Testing

Author: ilcmicrochemFood Allergens
"ARE YOU READY FOR COMPLYING WITH THE NEW HEALTH CANADA LABELLING REGULATIONS?"

Health Canada published its food allergen labelling regulatory amendments in Canada Gazette, Part II (CGII) on February 16, 2011. Until the new regulations come into force on August 04, 2012, Health Canada continues to urge the food industry to be diligent in responding to these impending changes by listing priority food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites on the labels of prepackaged foods.

According to the Codex Alimentarius (Alinorm 08/31/26) two categories for labeling of food according to the gluten content now exist:
1. Food products which contain less than 20 ppm can be labeled as "glutenfree".
2. Food products labeled as "very low gluten" can have a gluten content above 20 and up to 100 ppm.

Shrimp, crab, prawns, krill, lobster, langouste, crayfish and crab are described as crustaceans. Crustaceans can cause allergic reactions, severe sensitizations are not rare. Allergies to crustaceans occur more frequently in adult people and remain there for life.

Under the European Allergen Regulation crustaceans have to be declared in food.

Milk can be present as an ingredient or as a contamination in raw and processed food products. Because milk can induce allergic reactions at infancy it must be declared as an ingredient on food labels. Whey (β-lactoglobulin) or caseinates (e.g. in sausages) are often added to food products, therefore it is recommended to determine casein in food.

Even small traces of peanut in foodstuffs can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. In many countries peanut has to be declared on the food packaging according to the food allergen legislation.

Soy contaminations in food possibly elicit hypersensitivity in sensitive persons. Food production lines have to be free of residues to prevent these allergic reactions. The effectiveness of cleaning can be verified by using the Lateral Flow Soy Swabbing method.

Mustard can be present in many foods due to a cross contamination in the production process (especially if spices have been used in the product).